Travel Spotlight - Another Holiday, Another Encounter with Marine Life along Jersey Shore

By CATHY GOETZ

February 19, 2018 at 11:45 PM

Content Options

Photographer Nancy Orlowski discovered this harbor seal pup along the Spring Lake beach, near the north end pavilion on Ocean Avenue at Ludlow Avenue.Photographer Nancy Orlowski discovered this harbor seal pup along the Spring Lake beach, near the ...Credits: Nancy Orlowski

Baby seals are not as cute and friendly as they look, according to officials, and seal-sighters should stay at least 50 yards from a resting pup.Baby seals are not as cute and friendly as they look, according to officials, and seal-sighters ...Credits: Nancy Orlowski

By CATHY GOETZ

February 19, 2018 at 11:45 PM

SPRING LAKE, NJ — In neighboring Spring Lake, a baby seal made its way onto the beach near the north end pavilion early this afternoon.

Photographer Nancy Orlowski discovered the harbor seal pup near the jetty situated just south of the pavilion on Ocean Avenue at Ludlow Avenue.

The seal’s Presidents Day appearance on February 19 comes one day after a whale was spotted off the Belmar beach near Ocean and Fifth Avenues, as well as less than a week after two whales were seen in the same vicinity on Valentine’s Day. And on Groundhog Day on February 1, a baby seal was discovered by Belmar public works employees on the jet-ski dock at the Belmar Marina.

Harbor seals can be found in New Jersey waters from December through March, with the early spring being the time pups can typically be seen along the shoreline following the birthing season. They feed on small fish in the shallow waters and then come ashore to replenish their oxygen supply before returning to the waters, according to the Marine Mammal Stranding Center in Atlantic County.

These pups are extremely precocious and can swim almost immediately after birth, according to the Brigantine-based-center, which responds to marine mammals and sea turtles in distress along New Jersey’s waterways and rehabilitates them for release back into the wild.

During the first week of life, these pups often ride on their mothers' back while they swim. But as they are weaned in about 30 days and as the waters get warmer, the young seals are quickly on their own and will begin to migrate north to cooler waters.

While baby seals appear to be cute and friendly, officials warn they are wild animals and can bite. That’s why seal-sighters should stay at least 50 yards from a resting pup. It’s also against federal regulations to touch them.

Anyone who witnesses a seal that is distressed or may need help is asked to call their local police department or the stranding center on its 24-hour hotline at 609-266-0538.

NEWARK, NJ - VICE News Tonight is scheduled to air a segment about Newark’s lead issues ahead of a hearing tomorrow in federal court, where advocacy groups will try to convince a judge to make the city expand its filter program.

The Natural Resources Defense Council and the Newark Education Workers Caucus alleged in a lawsuit that city and state officials violated regulations that lead to ...

NEWARK, NJ - VICE News Tonight is scheduled to air a segment about Newark’s lead issues ahead of a ...

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ - He was always called "Joker," short for Canine 832 Joker's Wild, and for five years, this bloodhound assisted police in Middlesex County on countless missing persons and other investigations.

In 2015, after a young woman was violently assaulted and left for dead, Joker found a track and led law enforcement officers to a residence, and ultimately led to the identity of her ...

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ - He was always called "Joker," short for Canine 832 Joker's Wild, and for five ...

BLOOMFIELD, NJ - With everyone so busy with holiday preparations, there is always a drop in blood donations. This year, the Bloomfield Health Department is making it easy to donate blood by bringing the Bloodmobile to town hall Wednesday evening.

From 3:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. adults weighing more than 110 lbs can donate blood to meet the critical need at this time of year. The blood mobile will ...

BLOOMFIELD, NJ - With everyone so busy with holiday preparations, there is always a drop in blood ...

MORRISTOWN NJ - A collaboration with Morristown based national nonprofit Family Promise and a few other friends has resulted in Sesame Street in Communities (SSIC), a program of Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit that produces Sesame Street, creating a suite of online resources to help Family Promise and other providers better serve children experiencing homelessness.

When they decided to tackle ...

MORRISTOWN NJ - A collaboration with Morristown based national nonprofit Family Promise and a few ...

PISCATAWAY, NJ - Bar cookies like Hello Dollies are a great activity for families with younger children, the kids simply layer the assembled and measured ingredients. Aside from chopping nuts and removing hot cookie sheets from the oven, the children can most certainly declare "I did it myself!"

This recipe for Hello Dolly Cookie Bars comes to us from the editors at TAPinto ...

PISCATAWAY, NJ - Bar cookies like Hello Dollies are a great activity for families with younger ...

BLOOMFIELD, NJ – The Bloomfield High School Varsity Wrestling Team placed fourth overall out of 11 schools in the 2018 Kearny Holiday Tournament on Saturday at Kearny High School.

This is the second consecutive year Bloomfield competed in the prestigious tournament and crowned their initial 1st place finisher as junior Jeff Diaz defeated John Helstowski of North Brunswick to win the ...

BLOOMFIELD, NJ – The Bloomfield High School Varsity Wrestling Team placed fourth overall out of 11 ...

WARREN, NJ — Pecan fingers are made by our family only at Christmastime. Be sure to dip them in confectioners' sugar once while they are hot, and then sift more sugar over them again when they are cool.